Join The Polygon Gallery, Capture Photography Festival, and photojournalist Alana Paterson for an opening reception in celebration of Sḵwx̱wú7Mesh Nation Basketball: Photographs By Alana Paterson.

Alana Paterson was invited to shoot the young women’s half of the Junior All Native Basketball Tournament, held in Vancouver in 2018. After working closely with the team over the past year, the artist has captured each team member's energy, portraying them as direct, playful and fierce. Paterson's images work to empower young Indigenous women, in light of the dark history of colonization and continuing racism. The project both captures a visual identity of Indigenous women through sport and revitalizes the sense of strength, perseverance, and passion for which Indigenous "Warrior Women" are renowned; and provides a voice to an emerging generation of Indigenous women.

Alana Paterson is a North Vancouver-based photographer. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and publications, and her photojournalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star. Paterson was named one of Magenta Foundation's top emerging photographers in 2018. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation Basketball marks her first solo exhibition.

Image: Alana Paterson, from the series Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation Basketball, 2018 (detail)

This exhibition is produced in partnership with the Capture Photography Festival.